Jadeveon Clowney draws suspicion about dedication to college football

Everything that’s right about sports — teamwork, teammates, team-first — is seemingly being stomped upon by college football’s most vicious and delicious talent, and darn it if the dude doesn’t make a good point.

He’s waiting for Goodell.

Jadeveon Clowney is, of course, a top NFL prospect, but had to come back to school this season due to the rules. And so Clowney — the toughest dude out there, knocking down QBs, knocking helmets off RBs — decided he wouldn’t play through rib pain against Kentucky. The star defensive end sat out at the last minute, prompting the team’s defensive coordinator to tell The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier he was “totally surprised” Clowney didn’t play.

It’s not a good look. But the guy makes a point. Yes, it’s a point that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but I’ll say it anyway — South Carolina’s No. 7 is looking out for No. 1, as in himself and the No. 1 pick.

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Let’s say he truly was being selfish and didn’t want to waste his time playing Kentucky — or risk re-injury. Let’s say he didn’t come into the season in the best shape, as seen in much of his September game film, because he doesn’t really care about anything until combine time (and, well, his combine time). Let’s say he doesn’t look at his teammates as the true definition of that word in sports, and instead just looks as them as “guys who were also on the team, back in college.” Is he wrong? Why risk the long term and big money for the short term (that only makes big money for everyone else except him)?

To be fair, Clowney didn’t publicly say that the South Carolina football team isn’t his No. 1 priority — thrown in front of cameras on Tuesday, he said all the right things — and maybe he’ll play hard the rest of the way. But I think we all got a glimpse of what’s going on here, and while it stinks, it makes sense.

After the game, coach Steve Spurrier said he’d welcome back Clowney to “come play for the team if he wants,” which just sounded weird, as if a player is calling the shots (which seems to be what’s going on out there).

Yeah, it all looked bad on Saturday for Clowney. If you’re on the team and can at least give it a shot, you might as well at least do that, since there are only so many games on the schedule. And what does this say to your teammates, who thought you were “in the fire” with them? And dude, you guys only won by seven. They could have used you.

But two days later, Spurrier said to the media: “Let me say this about Jadeveon: If he never plays another snap here, we all should be thankful and appreciative that he came to South Carolina. We’ve won 26 games, two 11-2 years, the greatest seasons we’ve had in the history of this school, so none of us need to be upset at Jadeveon, none of us.

“I’m all for Jadeveon and his future, and when he’s ready to play, we’re going to put him out there.

“I just want to clear the air that Jadeveon, all those No. 7 jerseys and all the money he’s made for our school, he’s been a tremendous, important player, and we all — every Gamecock, including me, the coaches — we need to be appreciative that he chose South Carolina. He could’ve gone anywhere in the country, and he’s a big reason that we’ve had those seasons. He’s trying to do all he can to get ready to play.”

I know Spurrier is just defending his player, after the dust settled from Saturday, but he spoke as if the Clowney era was ending — or had ended — like it was a farewell.

The question is, did Clowney essentially say farewell after last year’s bowl game, and now he’s just buying time (until he can buy a Rolex)?

If that’s the case, then maybe the nickname he deserves comes from Elaine Benes: is Jadeveon Clowney a bad breaker-upper? Who cares how he looks in 2013 — he’s just waiting for Goodell and 2014.